Protein kinases represent a large family of proteins which play a central role in the regulation of a wide variety of cellular processes, maintaining control over cellular function. A partial list of such kinases includes ab1, Akt, bcr-ab1, Blk, Brk, Btk, c-kit, c-Met, c-src, c-fms, CDK1, CDK2, CDK3, CDK4, CDK5, CDK6, CDK7, CDK8, CDK9, CDK10, cRaf1, CSF1R, CSK, EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3, ErbB4, Erk, Fak, fes, FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3, FGFR4, FGFR5, Fgr, flt-1, Fps, Frk, Fyn, Hck, IGF-1R, INS-R, Jak, KDR, Lck, Lyn, MEK, p38, PDGFR, PIK, PKC, PYK2, ros, tie, tie2, TRK, Yes, and Zap70. Inhibition of such kinases has become an important therapeutic target.
The hepatocyte growth factor receptor (“c-Met”) is a unique receptor tyrosine kinase shown to be overexpressed in a variety of malignancies. c-Met typically comprises, in its native form, a 190-kDa heterodimeric (a disulfide-linked 50-kDa α-chain and a 145-kDa β-chain) membrane-spanning tyrosine kinase protein (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:6379-6383 (1987)). c-Met is mainly expressed in epithelial cells and stimulation of c-Met leads to scattering, angiogenesis, proliferation and metastasis. (See Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews, 13:41-59 (2002)).
The ligand for c-Met is hepatocyte growth factor (also known as scatter factor, HGF and SF). HGF is a heterodimeric protein secreted by cells of mesodermal origin (Nature, 327:239-242 (1987); J. Cell Biol., 111:2097-2108 (1990)).
Various biological activities have been described for HGF through interaction with c-Met (Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Scatter Factor (HGF-SF) and the c-Met Receptor, Goldberg and Rosen, eds., Birkhauser Verlag-Basel, 67-79 (1993)). The biological effect of HGF/SF may depend in part on the target cell. HGF induces a spectrum of biological activities in epithelial cells, including mitogenesis, stimulation of cell motility and promotion of matrix invasion (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 122:1450-1459 (1984); Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:415-419 (1991)). It stimulates the motility and invasiveness of carcinoma cells, the former having been implicated in the migration of cells required for metastasis. HGF can also act as a “scatter factor”, an activity that promotes the dissociation of epithelial and vascular endothelial cells (Nature, 327:239-242 (1987); J. Cell Biol., 111:2097-2108 (1990); EMBO J., 10:2867-2878 (1991); Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 90:649-653 (1993)). Therefore, HGF is thought to be important in tumor invasion (Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Scatter Factor (HGF-SF) and the C-Met Receptor, Goldberg and Rosen, eds., Birkhauser Verlag-Basel, 131-165 (1993)).
HGF and c-Met are expressed at abnormally high levels in a large variety of solid tumors. High levels of HGF and/or c-Met have been observed in liver, breast, pancreas, lung, kidney, bladder, ovary, brain, prostate, gallbladder and myeloma tumors in addition to many others. The role of HGF/c-Met in metastasis has been investigated in mice using cell lines transformed with HGF/c-Met (J. Mol. Med., 74:505-513 (1996)). Overexpression of the c-Met oncogene has also been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of thyroid tumors derived from follicular epithelium (Oncogene, 7:2549-2553 (1992)). HGF is a morphogen (Development, 110:1271-1284 (1990); Cell, 66:697-711 (1991)) and a potent angiogenic factor (J. Cell Biol., 119:629-641 (1992)).
Recent work on the relationship between inhibition of angiogenesis and the suppression or reversion of tumor progression shows great promise in the treatment of cancer (Nature, 390:404-407 (1997)), especially the use of multiple angiogenesis inhibitors compared to the effect of a single inhibitor. Angiogenesis can be stimulated by HGF, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).
Angiogenesis, the process of sprouting new blood vessels from existing vasculature and arteriogenesis, the remodeling of small vessels into larger conduit vessels are both physiologically important aspects of vascular growth in adult tissues. These processes of vascular growth are required for beneficial processes such as tissue repair, wound healing, recovery from tissue ischemia and menstrual cycling. They are also required for the development of pathological conditions such as the growth of neoplasias, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, certain forms of macular degeneration, and certain inflammatory pathologies. The inhibition of vascular growth in these contexts has also shown beneficial effects in preclinical animal models. For example, inhibition of angiogenesis by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor or its receptor has resulted in inhibition of tumor growth and in retinopathy. Also, the development of pathological pannus tissue in rheumatoid arthritis involves angiogenesis and might be blocked by inhibitors of angiogenesis.
The ability to stimulate vascular growth has potential utility for treatment of ischemia-induced pathologies such as myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke. The sprouting of new vessels and/or the expansion of small vessels in ischemic tissues prevents ischemic tissue death and induces tissue repair. Certain diseases are known to be associated with deregulated angiogenesis, for example ocular neovascularization, such as retinopathies (including diabetic retinopathy), age-related macular degeneration, psoriasis, hemangioblastoma, hemangioma, arteriosclerosis, inflammatory disease, such as a rheumatoid or rheumatic inflammatory disease, especially arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis), or other chronic inflammatory disorders, such as chronic asthma, arterial or post-transplantational atherosclerosis, endometriosis, and neoplastic diseases, for example so-called solid tumors and liquid tumors (such as leukemias). Treatment of malaria and related viral diseases may also be mediated by HGF and cMet.
Elevated levels of HGF and c-Met have also been observed in non-oncological settings, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction and rheumatoid arthritis. It has been observed that levels of HGF increase in the plasma of patients with hepatic failure (Gohda et al., supra) and in the plasma (Hepatol., 13:734-750 (1991)) or serum (J. Biochem., 109:8-13 (1991)) of animals with experimentally induced liver damage. HGF has also been shown to be a mitogen for certain cell types, including melanocytes, renal tubular cells, keratinocytes, certain endothelial cells and cells of epithelial origin (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 176:45-51 (1991); Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 174:831-838 (1991); Biochem., 30:9768-9780 (1991); Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:415-419 (1991)). Both HGF and the c-Met protooncogene have been postulated to play a role in microglial reactions to CNS injuries (Oncogene, 8:219-222 (1993)).
In view of the role of HGF and/or c-Met in potentiating or promoting such diseases or pathological conditions, it would be useful to have a means of substantially reducing or inhibiting one or more of the biological effects of HGF and its receptor. Thus a compound that reduces the effect of HGF would be a useful compound.
T cells play a pivotal role in the regulation of immune responses and are important for establishing immunity to pathogens. In addition, T cells are often activated during inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Sjogren's disease, myasthenia gravis, psoriasis, and lupus. T cell activation is also an important component of transplant rejection, allergic reactions, and asthma.
T cells are activated by specific antigens through the T cell receptor (TCR) which is expressed on the cell surface. This activation triggers a series of intracellular signaling cascades mediated by enzymes expressed within the cell (Kane, L P et al. Current Opinion in Immunol. 200, 12, 242). These cascades lead to gene regulation events that result in the production of cytokines, like interleukin-2 (IL-2). IL-2 is a critical cytokine in T cell activation, leading to proliferation and amplification of specific immune responses.
One class of enzymes shown to be important in signal transduction is the kinase enzymes Members of the Src-family of tyrosine kinases include, for example: Lck, Fyn(B), Fyn(T), Lyn, Src, Yes, Hck, Fgr and Blk (for review see: Bolen, J B, and Brugge, J S Annu. Rev. Immunol 1997, 15, 371). Gene disruption studies suggest that inhibition of some members of the src family of kinases would potentially lead to therapeutic benefit. Src(−/−) mice have abnormalities in bone remodeling or osteopetrosis (Soriano, P. Cell 1991, 64, 693), suggesting that inhibition of this kinase might be useful in diseases of bone resorption, such as osteoporosis. Lck(−/−) mice have defects in T cell maturation and activation (Anderson, S J et al. Adv. Immunol. 1994, 56, 151), suggesting that inhibition of this kinase might be useful in diseases of T cell mediated inflammation. In addition, human patients have been identified with mutations effecting Lck kinase activity (Goldman, F D et al. J. Clin. Invest. 1998, 102, 421). These patients suffer from a severe combined immunodeficiency disorder (SCID).
Without wishing to imply that the compounds disclosed in the present invention possess pharmacological activity only by virtue of an effect on a single biological process, it is believed that the compounds modulate T cell activation by way of inhibition of one or more of the multiple protein tyrosine kinases involved in early signal transduction steps leading to T cell activation, for example by way of inhibition of Lck kinase.
Src-family kinases are also important for signaling downstream of other immune cell receptors. Fyn, like Lck, is involved in TCR signaling in T cells (Appleby, M W et al. Cell 1992, 70, 751). Hck and Fgr are involved in Fcγ receptor signaling leading to neutrophil activation (Vicentini, L. et al. J. Immunol. 2002, 168, 6446). Lyn and Src also participate in Fcγ receptor signaling leading to release of histamine and other allergic mediators (Turner, H. and Kinet, J-P Nature 1999, 402, B24). These findings suggest that Src family kinase inhibitors may be useful in treating allergic diseases and asthma.
PCT publication WO 03/000660 describes substituted phenyl compounds. Substituted quinolines are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,764. Substituted benzazoles are described in WO 03/82272. Benzimidazoles are described in WO 00/61580. WO 02/32872 describes substituted quinolines. WO 00/47212 describes substituted quinazoline derivatives. WO 96/23774 describes thioquinoline compounds.
Compounds of the current invention have not been described for the treatment of cancer.